Shloka 43
Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Wrath, the Assault on Vedic Culture, and the Boy-Yamarāja’s Teaching on the Soul
यथानलो दारुषु भिन्न ईयते यथानिलो देहगत: पृथक् स्थित: । यथा नभ: सर्वगतं न सज्जते तथा पुमान् सर्वगुणाश्रय: पर: ॥ ४३ ॥
yathānalo dāruṣu bhinna īyate yathānilo deha-gataḥ pṛthak sthitaḥ yathā nabhaḥ sarva-gataṁ na sajjate tathā pumān sarva-guṇāśrayaḥ paraḥ
ಮರದೊಳಗಿನ ಅಗ್ನಿ ಮರದಿಂದ ಭಿನ್ನವಾಗಿ ಕಾಣುವಂತೆ, ಬಾಯಿ-ಮೂಗಿನೊಳಗಿನ ವಾಯುವೂ ಪ್ರತ್ಯೇಕವಾಗಿ ಅನುಭವವಾಗುವಂತೆ, ಎಲ್ಲೆಡೆ ವ್ಯಾಪಿಸಿರುವ ಆಕಾಶವು ಯಾವುದಕ್ಕೂ ಅಂಟಿಕೊಳ್ಳದಂತೆ—ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ದೇಹವೆಂಬ ಪಂಜರದಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದರೂ ಜೀವನು, ಈ ದೇಹಗುಣಗಳ ಆಶ್ರಯವಾದ ಪರತತ್ತ್ವವಾಗಿ, ದೇಹದಿಂದ ಪ್ರತ್ಯೇಕನಾಗಿದ್ದಾನೆ।
In Bhagavad-gītā the Supreme Personality of Godhead has explained that the material energy and spiritual energy both emanate from Him. The material energy is described as me bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā, the eight separated energies of the Lord. But although the eight gross and subtle material energies — namely, earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego — are stated to be bhinnā, separate from the Lord, actually they are not. As fire appears separate from wood and as the air flowing through the nostrils and mouth of the body appear separate from the body, so the Paramātmā, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appears separate from the living being but is actually separate and not separate simultaneously. This is the philosophy of acintya-bhedābheda-tattva propounded by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. According to the reactions of karma, the living being appears separate from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but actually he is very intimately related with the Lord. Consequently, even though we now seem neglected by the Lord, He is actually always alert to our activities. Under all circumstances, therefore, we should simply depend on the supremacy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus revive our intimate relationship with Him. We must depend upon the authority and control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
FAQs
This verse explains that although the Supreme Person is the shelter of all material qualities (gunas), He remains para—transcendental and untouched by them—like space that pervades everything yet never becomes entangled.
Prahlāda instructed his classmates to understand the Lord’s transcendence and the soul’s distinctness from matter, countering the materialistic, demoniac worldview taught in their school.
See yourself as distinct from the body and circumstances, and remember the Supreme as present everywhere yet beyond material contamination—this supports steadiness, detachment, and devotion in daily life.